Wiring device assembly



J. F. DUFFIELD WiRING DEVICE ASSEMBLY Dec. 17, 1963 Filed July 1, 1960qsrav F aorta-D Attorney United States Patent 3,114,792 WlPtHNG DE'VKCEASSEMBLY .l'oseph F. Duiiield, Agincourt, Ontario, Canada, assignor toAmalgamated Electric Corporation, Limited, Toronto, @ntario, CanadaFiled July 1, 196i), Ser. No. 40,289 13 Claims. (Cl. 174-54) Thisinvention relates generally to mounting means for wiring devices. Inparticular, this invention relates to an electrical assembly which isconstructed so as to permit the use of a number of wiring devices with aconventional assembly receiving enclosure of the type which is adaptednormally to receive a fewer number of conventional wiring devices. Atthe same time, the separate wiring devices and mounting straps making upthe assembly are readily detachable therefrom, and the single wiringdevices with their associated mounting straps may be employed singly ina conventional receiving enclosure.

While for purposes of simplification my invention will be described inconnection with electrical switches, any other wiring devices such aspush buttons, receptacles and pilot lights may be employed.

It is conventional practice in the electrical trades to attach a switchmounting strap carrying a switch to each switch enclosure box. If adouble switch is required, a larger switch enclosure box is employed.Generally the larger switch enclosure box is made by knocking at sideout of each of two single switch enclosure boxes, the sides thereofbeing of the knock-out type, and securing the two single boxes togetherwith their open sides adjacent. In this manner standardization isachieved as only one size of switch enclosure box need be stocked.Single switches, each on mounting straps, are separately secured in eachswitch enclosure. I have found that volumetrically speaking aconventional switch enclosure having a conventional single switch andmounting strap ecured thereto is inefiicient because there is a largeamount of waste space.

It is an object of this invention to provide an electrical assemblyconstructed so as to permit more than one wiring device mounting strap,each with their associated wiring devices, to be received by aconventional receiving enclosure of the typeadapted to normally receivea fewer number of conventional mounting straps and their associatedwiring devices. 7

It is another object of my invention to reduce the amount of timerequired to mount a number of wiring devices in an enclosure box.

It is a further object of my invention to eliminate the necessity ofemploying a conventional double wiring device enclosure in order toprovide a double wiring device assembly.

It is another objectof my invention to provide an electrical assemblycomprising a number of wiring devices, each with associated mountingstraps, detachably secured together in such a manner that one detachedwiring device and mounting strap or the assembly thereof may be mountedin the same conventional wiring device receiving enclosure.

A further object of my invention is to provide an electrical assemblycomprising a pair of wiring devices, each with associated mountingstraps, detachably secured together in such a manner that one detachedwiring device and mounting strap or the assembled pair may be mounted inthe same conventional single wiring device receiving enclosure.

Another object of my invention is to provide an electrical assemblycomprising three or four wiring devices, each with associated mountingstraps, detachably secured together in such a manner that singledetached wiring devices and mounting straps may be mounted one on eachPatented Dec. 17, 1963 side of a conventional double wiring devicereceiving enclosure, or the assembly of three or four wiring devices maybe mounted in the enclosure.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent fromthe ensuing disclosure taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a switch assemblyembodying my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing in greater detail a switchmounting strap and clasp which may be employed in practising myinvention; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

In brief, an electrical assembly embodying my invention comprises atleast a pair of mounting straps each having a conventional wiringdevice, such as a switch, for example, of the toggle type, mountedthereon. The wiring device mounting straps are secured side by side inaligned relationship with one another by means of a pair of claspmembers detachably afiixed to each of the mounting straps and positionedone above and one below the wiring devices. If there are two mountingstraps and wiring devices, the assembly may be mounted in a conventionalwiring device receiving enclosure of the type normally adapted toreceive only one conventional strap and wiring device. Alternatively,only one strap and wiring device may be mounted in the enclosure box ifdesired. A conventional cover plate of insulating material may be placedover the straps and secured thereto.

Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed description of anelectrical assembly embodying my invention, I have shown a conventionalsingle switch receiving enclosure 1 having only one pair of tabs 2 and3, each of which is mounted on an opposite side of enclosure 1 fornormally receiving only one conventional switch mounting strap, aconventional switch mounting strap being similar to the mounting straps4 and 5 shown in FIGURE 1, except that conventional switch mountingstraps are somewhat wider than the switch mounting straps t and 5employed in practising my invention. In accordance with one embodimentof my invention, I employ a pair of switch mounting straps 4 and 5having projections 6 thereon extending transverse to the mounting strapson both sides of the mounting straps and both above and belowconventional switches 7 and 8. Switches '7 and 8 may be of the toggletype, and each is secured in insulated relationship with its respectiveswitch mounting strap. Switches '7 and 8 are connected to wires (notshown) which extend into and out of conventional single switch receivingenclosure 1.

in order to permit a pair of switch mounting straps, each having aswitch mounted thereon, to be received by conventional single switchreceiving enclosure 1, I provide means such as a pair of U-shaped claspsl1 and 12, one of which is best seen in FEGURE 2. The upstanding arms 13and 13, of U-shaped c-lasps l1 and -12 respectively are provided with aplurality of tabs 15 projecting therefrom, tabs 15 being slightlyinclined downwardly over projections 6. Recesses 16 are provided inupstanding arms l3, l4, and 13, l t and are adapted to receive a portionof switch mounting straps 4 and 5 as shown. A latch mechanism 22 isprovided in upstanding arms 14 and 14 of the U-shaped clasp members.This latch mechanism is formed by punching an aperture 23 in arms M and1d and crimping portion 2 4 upwardly to form shoulders which abutagainst projections '6 and retain the mounting straps detachably securedto the 'clasps. in order to secure a clasp and mounting strap, forexample mounting strap 5 and clasp ll, the top edges of projections 6are placed under tabs 15 while strap 5 is held slightly inclined withrespect to clasp llll. Strap 5 is then pivotally moved about the topedges of projections 6 until the lower edges of projections d are forcedover portion and projections 6 are in the position shown in FIGURE 2behind the shoulders. Downward and inward pressure on portion 24* willpermit the straps to be easily released from the shoulders and removedfrom clasp 11. As shown in PEGURE l, clasps it and are positioned bothabove and below switch mounting straps 5- and 5 and detachably holdswitch mounting straps 4 and 5 side by side in aligned relationship,straps 4 and 5 and projections '6 all lying in the same plane. Clasps l1and 12 are each provided with a tab 17 having an aperture 18 therein.

The assembly comprising clasps it and 12 and switch mounting straps 4and 5' with their associated switches 7 and 3 respectively may besecured to conventional single switch receiving enclosure It by meanssuch as a threaded fastener 25 passed through apertures 13 in tabs 17and the apertures in tabs 2 and It will thus be seen that in accordancewith my invention, two switch mounting straps, each having a switchassociated therewith, may be received by a conventional single switchreceiving enclosure which is adapted normally to receive only oneconventional switch mounting strap with its associated switch.

Alternatively, either of switch mounting straps and 5 may be secured toconventional single switch receiving enclosure 3. by means of threadedfasteners passed through apertures 9 and it and the apertures in tabs 2and 3.

A special advantage of my invention is that mounting straps such as iand 5 may be sold along with clasps such as ll and i2, and on the jobthe clasps may be employed to readily secure a pair of straps if adouble switch is required, or the clasps may be saved if only a singleswitch is required.

A cover plate (not shown) may be positioned over the faces of switchmounting straps 4 and 5 remote from single switch receiving enclosure lby means of threaded fasteners passed through the cover plate and intothreaded engagement with threaded apertures 1? provided in eachcross-piece 2d of clasps It and 7.2. The cover plate may be suitablyinsulated from the switch mounting straps 4 and 5 and conventionalsingle switch enclosure 1, and to this end may be made of a suitableinsulator such as plastic.

As previously mentioned, if only a single switch assembly is desired,this may be achieved by positioning only one of the switch mountingstraps it and 5 on the conventional single switch receiving enclosure bymeans of threaded fasteners passing through apertures 9 and lb and theapertures in tabs 2 and 3. A cover plate may be mounted in insulatedrelationship on such a single switch mounting strap by means of threadedfasteners passed through the cover plate and into apertures 21 providedboth above and below the switch associated with the switch mountingstrap.

It will be seen to be an inherent advantage of my invent-ion that onlyone size of switch receiving enclosure is required to mount either asingle or a double switch. In addition, in order to practice myinvention, it is not necessary to alter the size of the conventionalsingle switch enclosures now available, nor is it necessary to alter thesize of the switches now available.

it is important to note that where it is desirable to provide three orfour switch mounting straps and associated switches in a conventionaldouble switch receiving enclosure, such as may be formed by placing twoenclosures 1'. side by side, knocking out the dividing side walls andsecuring the enclosures together, this may be done by providing longerclasps with additional recesses T16 and latching mechanisms 23.

As previously noted, switches '7 and 8 could be other wiring devicessuch as receptacles, push buttons and pilot lights, and variouscombinations may be employed.

While I have disclosed preferred embodiments of my invention, otherembodiments may be constructed by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in theappended claims. For example, wnile clasp members ill and 12 perform thedual function of coupling the mounting straps together and holding themtogether so that the electrical assembly consisting of the couplingmembers, the mounting straps and the wiring devices can be assembled asa unit prior to installation on the enclosure, obviously it would notdepart from my invention to employ coupling members which only serve tocouple the mounting straps, and do not hold them together when theassembly is apart from the enclosure, but do hold the assembly togetherwhen it is installed on the enclosure by virtue of the engagement of thecoupling members with the mounting straps and the shining of thecoupling members to the enclosure.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination, an electrical assembly and a wiring device receivingenclosure having side walls defining an open end, said electricalassembly comprising at least two mounting straps, wiring devices, eachof said mounting straps having a wiring device secured thereto, mountingstrap mounting apertures passing through each of said mounting strapsabove and below said wiring devices, said mounting strap mountingapertures in each of said mounting straps and said wiring device securedto said mounting strap lying in at least substantially a straight line,and coupling members separate from said mounting straps, said mountingstraps being detachably coupled side by side by said coupling members,each of said mounting straps being adapted to be directly mountedindividually on said wiring device receiving enclosure by fasteningmeans passed through said mounting strap mounting apertures, engagingsaid enclosure and securing said mounting strap to said enclosure, saidenclosure being adapted to receive less than the number of said mountingstraps in said assembly when said mounting straps are individuallydirectly mounted on said enclosure at the open end thereof, the numberof said mounting straps in said assembly being at least one greater thanthe number of said mounting straps which can be mounted individually anddirectly on said enclosure, said assembly being mounted on saidenclosure at the open end thereof with said wiring devices positionedwithin the planes defined by said side walls of said enclosure.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein there are two mountingstraps, and including a coupling member mounting aperture extendingthrough each of said coupling members intermediate said mounting straps,said assembly being mounted on said enclosure at the open end thereofwith said wiring devices positioned Within the planes defined by saidside walls of said enclosure by fastening means passed through saidcoupling member mounting apertures, engaging said enclosure and securingsaid assembly to said enclosure.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein there are two couplingmembers, one of said coupling members being positioned above said wiringdevices, the other of said coupling members being positioned below saidwiring devices.

4. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said enclosure is aconventional single mount-ing strap receiving enclosure of the typehaving only one pair of tabs mounted thereon for normally receiving onlyone wiring device mounting strap, said assembly being mounted on saidenclosure by fastening means passed through said coupling membermounting apertures, engaging said tabs and securing said assembly tosaid enclosure, said mounting straps each being adapted to be directlymounted individually on said enclosure by fastening means passed throughsaid mounting strap mounting apertures, engaging said tabs and securingsaid mounting strap to said enclosure.

5. An electrical assembly according to claim 4 wherein said wiringdevices are switches.

6. The invention according to claim 4 wherein there are two couplingmembers, one of said coupling members being positioned above said wiringdevices, the other of said coupling members being positioned below saidwiring devices.

7. In combination, an electrical assembly and a wiring device receivingenclosure having side walls defining an open end, said electricalassembly comprising at least two mounting straps, wiring devices, eachof said mounting straps having a wiring device secured thereto, mountingstrap mounting apertures passing through each of said mounting strapsabove and below said wiring devices, said mounting strap mountingapertures in each of said mounting straps and said wiring device securedto said mounting strap lying in at least substantially a straight line,each of said mounting straps having projection means on each side ofsaid wiring device and extending outwardly from said mounting straps,and clasp members separate from said mounting straps, said mountingstraps being detachabl-y secured side by side in aligned relationship bysaid clasp members, said clasp members being detachably secured to saidprojection means, each of said mounting straps being adapted to bedirectly mounted individually on said wiring device receiving enclosureby fastening means passed through said mounting strap mountingapertures, engaging said enclosure and securing said mounting strap tosaid enclosure, said enclosure being ad-apted to receive less than thenumber of said mounting straps in said assembly when said mountingstraps are individually directly mounted on said enclosure at the openend thereof, the number of said mounting straps in said assembly beingat least one greater than the number of said mounting straps which canbe mounted individually and directly on said enclosure, said assemblybeing mounted on said enclosure at the open end thereof with said wiringdevices positioned within the planes defined by said side walls of saidenclosure.

8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said projection means areprovided on each side of said wiring device and above and below saidwiring device, there are two clasp members, one of said clasp membersbeing detach-ably secured to said projection means above said wiringdevices, the other of said clasp members being detachably secured tosaid projection means below said wiring devices.

9. The invention according to claim 7 wherein there are two mountingstraps and including a clasp member mounting aperture extending througheach of said clasp members intermediate said mounting straps, saidassembly being mounted on said enclosure at the open end thereof withsaid wiring devices positioned within the planes defined by said sidewalls of said enclosure by fastening means passed through said claspmember mounting apertures, engaging said enclosure and securing saidassembly to said enclosure.

10. The invention according to claim 7 wherein there are two claspmembers, one of said clasp members being positioned above said wiringdevices and the other of said clasp members being positioned below saidwiring devices, said clasp members are U-shaped, and including tabsprojecting from one of the upstanding arms of said U-shaped members andextending over said projection means, and releasable latch means on theother arms of said U-shaped members, said latch means engaging saidprojection means when said clasp members are afiixed to said projectionmeans.

11. The invention according to claim 9 wherein said enclosure is aconventional single mounting strap receiving enclosure of the typehaving only one pair of tabs mounted thereon for normally receiving onlyone wiring device mounting strap, said assembly being mounted on saidenclosure by fastening means passedthrough said clasp member mountingapertures, engaging said tabs and securing said assembly to saidenclosure, said mounting straps each being adapted to be directlymounted individually on said enclosure by fastening means passed throughsaid mounting strap mounting apertures, engaging said tabs and securingsaid mounting strap to said enclosure.

12. The invention according to claim 11 wherein there are two claspmembers, one of said clasp members being positioned above said Wiringdevices and the other of said clasp members being positioned below saidwiring devices, said clasp members are U-shaped, and including tabsprojecting from one of the upstanding arms of said U-shaped members andextending over said projection means, and releasable latch means on theother arms of said U-shaped members, said latch means engaging saidprojection means when said clasp members are afiixed to said projectionmeans.

13. The invention according to claim 9 wherein there are two claspmembers, one of said clasp members being positioned above said wiringdevices, the other of said clasp members being positioned below saidwiring devices.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.19,092 Despard Feb. 20, 1934 1,286,605 Hallstrorn Dec. 3, 1918 1,909,270Guett -,.May 16, 1933 2,248,201 Russell et a1. July 8, 1941 2,836,687Gelzheiser et al. May 27, 1958 2,889,437 Christensen June 2, 1959 OTHERREFERENCES Flier: P and S Despard Wiring Dev-ices, Form 2456, Pass andSeymour, Inc., Syracuse 9, New York.

1. IN COMBINATION, AN ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY AND A WIRING DEVICE RECEIVINGENCLOSURE HAVING SIDE WALLS DEFINING AN OPEN END, SAID ELECTRICALASSEMBLY COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO MOUNTING STRAPS, WIRING DEVICES, EACHOF SAID MOUNTING STRAPS HAVING A WIRING DEVICES, EACH OF SAID MOUNTINGSTRAP MOUNTING APERTURES PASSING THROUGH EACH OF SAID MOUNTING STRAPSABOVE AND BELOW SAID WIRING DEVICES, SAID MOUNTING STRAP MOUNTINGAPERTURES IN EACH OF SAID MOUNTING STRAPS AND SAID WIRING DEVICE SECUREDTO SAID MOUNTING STRAP LYING IN AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY A STRAIGHT LINE,AND COUPLING MEMBERS SEPARATE FROM SAID MOUNTING STRAPS, SAID MOUNTINGSTRAPS BEING DETACHABLY COUPLED SIDE BY SIDE BY SAID COUPLING MEMBERS,EACH OF SAID MOUNTING STRAPS BEING ADAPTED TO BE DIRECTLY MOUNTEDINDIVIDUALLY ON SAID WIRING DEVICE RECEIVING ENCLOSURE BY FASTENINGMEANS PASSED THROUGH SAID MOUNTING STRAP MOUNTING APERTURES, ENGAGINGSAID ENCLOSURE AND SECURING SAID MOUNTING STRAP TO SAID ENCLOSURE, SAIDENCLOSURE BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE LESS THAN THE NUMBER OF SAID MOUNTINGSTRAPS IN SAID ASSEMBLY WHEN SAID MOUNTING STRAPS ARE INDIVIDUALLYDIRECTLY MOUNTED ON SAID ENCLOSURE AT THE OPEN END THEREOF, THE NUMBEROF SAID MOUNTING STRAPS IN SAID ASSEMBLY BEING AT LEAST ONE GREATER THANTHE NUMBER OF SAID MOUNTING STRAPS WHICH CAN BE MOUNTED INDIVIDUALLY ANDDIRECTLY ON SAID ENCLOSURE, SAID ASSEMBLY BEING MOUNTED ON SAIDENCLOSURE AT THE OPEN END THEREOF WITH SAID WIRING DEVICES POSITIONEDWITHIN THE PLANES DEFINED BY SAID SIDE WALLS OF SAID ENCLOSURE.